A Boston Tea Party …(Carte Blanche)

Shhsh! Psst! Zip it! Zip! Ziiiiip It! Zip! Zip! Many of us remember the sophomoric Austin Powers telling his son Scott to zip it. The house Republicans did the same thing to the Democrats with last Friday night’s vote on whether U.S. troops should withdraw from Iraq immediately. It was a stroke of genius, a perfect way to ask Democrats to put their vote where their mouth is. Arizona Congressman JD Hayworth and California Congressman Duncan Hunter were two major players behind the resolution that followed John Murtha’s declaration that U.S. troops need to leave Iraq. I watched the entire debate on CSPAN Friday night with great interest.

It was striking to me how each side tried to play to the honor of the veteran. When it is so blatantly overdone, as it was during the house debate, it is strikingly phony. Each time John Murtha’s name was mentioned the entire house would stop and give him a standing ovation. It was if John Murtha was going to be sainted because he was a veteran. I agree each and every veteran in our 200-year history is and should be respected. We all owe our freedom to these selfless people who gave their lives so that we may be free. Their service to this country needs to be honored but it does not give them “carte blanche” on whatever demands they make.

Murtha tried to explain what his declaration the day before was really about, that he did not want us to cut and run. Congressman Hayworth replied with the reality of Murtha’s declaration. He displayed front pages from the “Washington Post”, the “New York Times”, and El Jazeera with the headline “Democratic hawk says pull out now”. It was because of this reality that the need for such a resolution was required. The troops needed to know America stood with them.

Murtha’s decision to voice what most Democrats feel was not a shock to many of us. Democrats decided a long time ago their strategy was for America to lose this war. In any battle like any game there are winners and losers. If you decide to forfeit you still lose. Regardless of how decorated a veteran John Murtha is, his decision to leave Iraq is wrong. If as liberals say, decent is patriotic, then so should disagreeing with such an honored veteran be patriotic. Republicans did not question his service. They did question his demanding a withdrawal. As my dad said, “One of your mom’s seven brothers served in Korea and we all respect him for that very much but it doesn’t make him any smarter than the other six.

After watching John Murtha speak I believe he is suffering from a case of the “guilts”. He visits wounded veterans frequently and I feel this has gotten to him. He hates seeing the suffering these men and women have to go through, which is understandable. Leaving Iraq without victory is not. Victory is the only was we can leave. It may be 2 years, it may be 5 years, hell it may be 10 years……when America is victorious is when our soldiers should come home. What they are doing for our safety is amazing. The support we give them should be resolute.

The vote on Friday night was to show our soldiers they have such support. It was time for those who want us to leave before victory to say so. When it was time to put up or shut up the Democrats voted to save their political behinds. They could not vote with their hearts. I hope this puts an end to any more debate of timetables and withdrawal. Now our Republican Senate leadership should also call for such a vote. Harry Reid and company need to be called to the table and vote to match their rhetoric or as Austin Powers says, “Zip it.”